The growth of the single serve coffee and beverage market place is continually increasing, overtaking traditional roast and ground coffee formats. Consumers have adopted the single serve format because it provides good convenience, selection and taste. Today there are two single serve dispensing systems that dominate the market, high water pressure systems for espresso-style coffee, and low pressure water systems for drip-style coffee. Each of these systems provides a different preparation method for coffee.
There has been a multiplication of single serve dispensing systems commercialized under such brands as Keurig™, Nespresso™, Tassimo™, Verismo™, Lavazza™ and Illy™, among numerous others. Such dispensing systems receive individual cartridges (also referred to as cups or capsules or cartridges) that contain a precise measure of coffee grounds or tea leaves for a single beverage serving. As noted above, such systems are typically divided into two categories: dispensing systems that accept cartridges for brewing espresso-style coffee under high water pressure; and dispensing systems that accept cartridges for brewing drip-style coffee or tea under low water pressure. Generally speaking, cartridges for brewing espresso and drip-style coffee are not inter-changeable as they are fabricated to meet different technical requirements and, in any case, typically require cartridges of different sizes, shapes and/or geometries.
At present, to suitably or optimally offer multiple styles of beverages, two separate dispensing systems must be purchased, one for high water pressure (espresso) and one for low water pressure (drip-style). This situation is undesirable in part for one or more of the following reasons:    a) double acquisition costs, b) double the energy use, c) double the counter space consumption and d) double the maintenance.
As suggested above, users must choose between one type of machine and beverage over another, or indeed have multiple systems in their homes or offices. Commercial users, such as airlines or quick serve restaurants, contend with limited space requirements yet their customers can have wide tastes ranging from espresso beverages, such as cappuccinos and lattes, to drip-style coffee or tea beverages. Generally speaking, North American coffee drinkers prefer drip-style coffee beverages (e.g., cup of coffee without crema), while Europeans favor espresso-style beverages. The diversity of regional preferences provides an additional motivation to offer both beverage dispensing systems with a reduced footprint.
For Europe, high pressure is the most widely used system because high water pressure is needed to maximize coffee extraction, which produces the coffee crema (espresso coffee). In contrast, in North America, a low pressure water system is used, which does not produce any coffee crema (drip coffee). Some North American consumers find crema undesirable in their drip-style coffee. In order to produce espresso coffee, a dedicated beverage preparation system is needed. Similarly, in order to produce a low pressure “drip-style” coffee, a dedicated beverage preparation system is needed. Some consumers have accepted that two appliances on the counter top for preparing coffee are needed in order to deliver an authentic beverage and have adopted two machines in their households or workplaces, one for espresso style beverages and one for drip-style beverages.
Various techniques have been developed for providing a brewing system capable of receiving more than one type of cartridge and brewing more than one style of beverage. Past approaches, including those using one or more separate adapters or modules that fit over cartridges having diverse geometries, can suffer from several disadvantages, including inconvenience or misuse if the end user selects an incorrect adapter. As well, the adapters may be detachable or use non-integral components that can be readily damaged or misplaced.
Improvements in brewing systems are desirable, including those for single serve beverage brewing including coffee, tea, and powder-based beverages. For example, there is a need for the design and development of a variable water pressure brewing machine with the capability to brew single serve beverages from cartridges having various parameters, geometries or specifications, and therefore providing consumers with a wider beverage variety, a simpler-to-use interface, at reduced cost and reduced space. Furthermore, there is a need for a beverage system which has the ability to enhance extraction results.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a review of the drawings.